By: John Axtell Posted at: 03/11/2017 11:54 AMCHADRON - Tonight is the end of Daylight Savings Time and we lose an hour of sleep. The official changeover occurs at 2 a-m Sunday, but most people adjust their clocks, watches, and appliances with timers before going to bed.

Those who forget the adage "spring forward, fall back" will be an hour late for church, work or other events Sunday morning.

Deputy Nebraska State Fire Marshall Pat Gould of Chadron says it's also a good time to change batteries in smoke detectors because trying to save a few cents by not replacing them could prove to be fatally penny wise and pound foolish.

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Gould says one reason smoke alarms are lifesavers is that most home fatalities occur when people are asleep, between 10 pm and 6 am.

Statistics show the death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms.

Almost 1 out of every 5 smoke alarms in an American home doesn't work, often because of dead batteries, and the death rate in those homes even higher - about a third higher - than in homes without a smoke detector at all.